Genentech Plans 1.25M SF gRED Center in South San Francisco

• Address: Genentech campus, East Grand Avenue area, South San Francisco, California
• The South San Francisco Planning Commission is scheduled to review plans for the first phase of Genentech's Early Research and Development Center, or gRED Center, on September 3.
• The proposed campus expansion would include seven structures, approximately 1.25 million square feet of commercial office space, and parking for roughly 1,800 vehicles.
• Six interconnected life science buildings will surround a landscaped courtyard, with construction expected to take place from 2027 through 2033.
• The project is part of Genentech's long-term investment in its South San Francisco headquarters and the region's life sciences industry.

What The gRED Center Will Bring To South San Francisco

Genentech is preparing to expand its long-standing South San Francisco campus with the proposed gRED Center, a major life sciences development that will consolidate research, laboratory, and computational functions in a new campus setting. The first phase would cover approximately 26.6 acres of Genentech's larger 206-acre campus. Plans call for seven structures, including six interconnected life science facilities and a seven-story parking garage. Genentech describes the purpose of the project as bringing several areas of scientific research together under one roof.

“We’re building the gRED Center to integrate human biology, massively scaled lab methods, and advanced computational science in one place, so breakthroughs move faster and farther.”

The project is expected to reinforce Genentech's presence in South San Francisco, where the company has helped establish the city as a major center for biotechnology and life sciences.

 

 

 

 

What The Campus Design Will Look Like

CannonDesign and Foster + Partners are jointly designing the gRED Center. The six primary life science buildings will be organized around an open-air courtyard garden, creating a central outdoor space between the interconnected facilities. Renderings show a contemporary design with gridded façades, floor-to-ceiling windows, glass fiber-reinforced concrete, and projecting metal awnings. The parking structure will have a different architectural expression, using exposed concrete to distinguish it from the main research buildings. The campus plan also includes landscaped areas and pedestrian connections intended to create a more integrated environment between the buildings.

 

 

 

 

What The Development Will Include

The gRED Center is planned to deliver approximately 1.25 million square feet of commercial office space, primarily supporting Genentech's research and development operations. The seven-building plan includes approximately 1,800 parking spaces in a seven-story garage. The new development will occupy only a portion of Genentech's existing campus, which covers approximately 206 acres. The scale of the project reflects the amount of research and technical infrastructure Genentech expects to require as its early-stage drug discovery operations continue to evolve.

 

 

What Genentech's Investment Means For The Region

Genentech's South San Francisco campus has played a central role in the city's emergence as a biotechnology hub. The company has described South San Francisco as its home for five decades and says its continued campus investment is intended to support local jobs and strengthen the regional economy. The company is also the largest employer in South San Francisco, making a project of this scale significant beyond the boundaries of the campus itself. Genentech's Research and Early Development organization, known as gRED, operates as a separate business unit within Roche, allowing the research group to maintain an independent focus on early-stage scientific work.

 

 

What The Planning Review Will Decide

The South San Francisco Planning Commission is scheduled to review the project on Thursday, September 3, at 7 p.m. The meeting will take place in person at the City Council Chambers, with viewing available online, although online participation will not be available. If the project moves through the city's review process, construction is expected to take place between 2027 and 2033. The planned timeline would make the gRED Center one of Genentech's most significant long-term campus investments as the company continues expanding its research infrastructure in the Bay Area.